Boat



July 3, 1928.

G. B. POST BOAT Filed Oct. 25, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet July 3, 1928.

G. B. POST BOAT Filed Oct. 25, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v Patented July 3,1928.

N' E STATES.

1,675,422 PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE B. rosr, or'maw YORK, N. Y.

My invention relates to boatsand in particular to a boat driven by anair propeller.

provide in a marinevessel a combined air and water rudder soarrangedthat below a predetermined speed the water rudder will control themovements of the boat, and above .a predetermined speed the water rudderwill be rendered inoperative and the air rudder will become fullyoperative.

It is a further object to provide such a combination of rudders whichwill be auto mati'cally operated according to the speed of the vesseland the quantity of air passing by the air rudder.

It is a furtlier object to provide a novel form of mounting andprotecting the motor and propeller and of locating the power plant withrespect tothe boat structure and the rudder. i 7

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the complete installation with the waterrudder 1n lowered position; i i

FigureQ is a detail view in elevation of the rudders with the waterrudder lowered as it will be when either in operative position or duringthe period in which the boat is controlled by the water rudder;

Figure 3 is a similar view toFigure 2 showing the Water rudder in itselevated and in operative position when the air rudder is steering theboat;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the rudders and the control vanes for thewater rudder;

Figure 5 is a perspective of the bottom of the hull of the boat;

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic perspective showing the detail nature of thepropeller guard so arranged as to protect the passengers but not tointerfere with the slip stream from the propeller,while protecting thepropeller.

Referring to the drawings in detail, a boat hull isprovided which may beof any suitable character, preferably of the hydroplane type, althoughmy invention is not so limited. In the particular embodiment of the hullillustrated in the present application, it will be observed that Iprovide hot- Application filed October 2 5, 1926. Serial No. 143,949.

tom surfaces 1, which terminate rearwardly in a step 2 and an elevatedstern section 3. A keel 4 is provided.

The bottom portions 1 terminate laterally on the chine line 5. Thebottom of the boat is substantially flat having impartedto it a slightlyconcave arcuate section, which becomes of gradually decreasing concavityfrom how to step line.

VVhen proceeding up to about tenmiles an hour, the boat proceeds withmost of the hull in the water but at higher speeds the bow lifts and theboat rests upon the rear quarter. It is above this speed of 10 miles anhour that the water rudder lifts, and the slip stream from the propelleris sufficient to give full control by the air rudder.

Mounted upon the hull aft of the midships of theboat is a motor of anysuitable type, generally designated 6. It is provided for itssupportwith a pair of diverging, forwardly-disposed engine struts 7, a pair oflaterallydisposed, downwardly and rearwardly extending struts 8 and apair of downwardly-extending, transversely-disposed struts 9; It isbraced laterally with crossed wires in the plane of the struts 7 and 8.The struts 7 do not extend to the gunwale of the boat. The lower ends ofthe struts 9 and 8 extend to the deck inside the gunwale, the lower endsof such struts 8 and 9 terminating at a common point on the after deck.

to provide for the free revolution of the pro peller 10within its cage.This cage or guard consists of transverse ovoid sections of netting,designated 11, placed between the propeller and the bow of the boat.These sections are providedwith transverse braces 12. Aninterconnectingsection below the motor, designated 13, is provided. 7

On either margin of the ovoid, transverse guard sections, aresemi-circular sections for guarding the ends of the propeller,designated 14, provided with suitable braces 15. The deck 16 of theboatis lowered below the gunwales 17 'in order to quickly carry away anyaccumulation of water from the spray by holes 17 and to protect thepropeller. v

The sides of the boat adjacent the propellet may be protected bycanvasguards 18 to prevent any water from coming in contact with thepropeller through the operation of the boat.

Turning to the next feature of this invention, the rudders, it will beobsery ed that I provide on the stern of the'boat a ver-' tical rudderpost 19 suitably braced by the diagonal braces 2 Pivoted on this rudderpost is an air rudder 21. Pivotally connected to the post and to the airrudder is a water rudder 22. i i

A tiller yoke 23 operated by the tiller ropes Q-i-l is provided for thepurpose of moving theair and water rudders, as a'unit on the rudder post19.

Connected to the tiller ropes 24L is the usual steering wheel 25. Anyform of control of these rudders may be provided as well known in marinepractice. v

The water rudder 22 has pivotally iconnested thereto at 26a link 27which extends upwardly within the a'ii' rudder projecting out: atthe topthereof where is pivotally connected at 28 to an arm 29pivoted at 30 toabracket 31 on top of the rudder post 19. This arm 29 is rigidlyconnected to a pair of arms disposed atan angle thereto designated'32 onthe ends of which are mounted vanes'33 which are disposed at an angle tothe line of movement of the boat. It will be apparent that, when theboat first starts to operate, it will move forwardly under the controlof the water rudder but when the slip stream becomes'of sutlicient forcefrom the air propeller the vanes 83 will be lifted from their positionshown in Figure 2 to that position shown in Figure 3. The water rudderwill be thereby lifted from the water and "the boat will be steered bythe air rudder. Therefore, when the speed becomes great, as this boat iscapable of from thirty to forty miles an hour, in the particular embodiment illustrated herein, the boat will not be impeded in its speedby'a water rudder nor will its draft be increased by the water rudder.Consequently, in a boat of twenty three feet six inches long with a beamof seven feet three inches the draft will be nine inches'when at restbut only three to four inches when planing at a speed of about ten milesan hour. \Vhen using a ninety horse power motor, I find that the waterrudder will be elevated and the boat will be satisfactorily, completelysteered by the air rudder.

It will be understood that I desire to com prehend within my inventionsuch modifications as'may' be necessary to adapt it to varyingconditions and uses.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new andde'sireto secure by Letters Patent, is: ii

1. In combination in a boat, for steering 'a boat, anair rudder,a'wa'ter rudder, and

nieansautomatically operated to render the water rudder inoperative.

. 2.-In combination in a. boat, an ,air rud- .der, a water rudder, meansfor moving said rudders for steering purposes as a unit, and aircontrolled means for rendering said Water rudder inoperative when apredetermined amount of air passes by said rudders.

3. In combination in a boat of a rudder post, air and water ruddersmounted thereon, means to move said rudders thereon, vane means adaptedtobe operated upon by the fair connected to said water rudder adapted tomove the water rudder out ofthe Water upon a predetermined amount of airengaging with said vane means.

4. In combination in a boat, a supporting rudder post, air and waterrudders mounted thereon adapted to turn thereon as. a unit, means tocontrol said rudders, a link connectcd to said water rudder, a leversystem supported on said rudder postturning with said rudders; vanescarried byv said lever system, said lever system being connected to saidlink whereby the passage of air will elevate said varies and lift saidwater rudder.

5. In aboat, a common supporting means, an air rudder and a water'rudderpivoted on said means one above the other, said water rudder beingadapted to move relative to said air rudder, a link passing through saidair rudder connected to said water rudder, vanes connected to saidlink'on either side of said air rudder adapted when elevated by the airto lift said water'rndder.

6. Ina boat, a eonnnonsupporting means, an air rudder and a water rudder*pivoted on said means one above the other, saidwater rudderbeingadapted to move relative to said air rudder, alink passing throughsaid air rudder connected to said water rudder, vanes connected'to saidlink oneithe'r sideofsaid air rudder adapted when elevatedxby the. airto lift said water rudder, 'saidconne'cting means for said vanesconsisting. ofa .yoke.

7. In a boat, an air propeller, an air rud "said water rudderinoperative upon a predetermined air blast from the propeller beingachieved, and a common steering means ffor said rudders. i i i 9. In aboat, a boat body, a power plant and air propeller mounted thereon, anair rudder mounted in the slipstream from said propeller, a waterrudder, vanes 'inoun'ted in said slipstream connected to said Waterrud-'der whereby upon the achievement of a 'predetermind speed, said vaneswill inov 5' to render said water rudder-"inoperative and steering meansfor said rudders.

' 103111 a boat, aboat body, a ower plant above said body 'aft of themid ldps'ofithe boat, a pro eller connected to said ower plant, a ru derpost on the stern 0 said boat, a relatively large air rudder mountedthereon in the slipstream from the propeller, ;a relatively small waterrudder mounted therebeneath, air vanes connected to said water ruddermounted on said rudder posts adapted to elevate the water rudder when asuflicient blast from the propeller is delivered against them, and acommon steering means for said rudders.

11. In a boat, a boat body, a power plant above said body aft of themidships of the boat, a propeller connected to said power plant, arudder post on the stern of said boat, a relatively large air ruddermounted thereon in the slipstream from the propeller, a relatively smallWater rudder mounted therebeneath, air vanes connected to said Waterrudder mounted on said rudder posts adapted to elevate the Water rudderwhen a sufiicient blast from the propeller is delivered against them,and a common steering means for said rudders, and a guard for saidpropeller.

12. In a boat, a boat body, a power plant above said body aft of themidships of the boat, a pro eller connected to said power plant, a ruder post on the stern of said boat, a relatively large air rudder mountedthereon in the slipstream from the propeller, a rela tively small Waterrudder mounted therebeneath, air vanes connected to said waterruddermounted on said rudder posts adapted to elevate the water rudderwhen a sufiicient blast from the propeller is delivered against them,and a common steering means for said rudders, and a guard for saidpropeller, said uard being arranged forwardly and latera ly of saidpropeller in such a manner as not to interfere with the slipstreamtherefrom.

13. In combination, a hydroplane boat body, an air rudder, a waterrudder, steering means therefor, air controlled means for rendering saidWater rudder inoperative upon a predetermined speed being achieved bysaid boat, a power plant and an air propeller so arranged as to deliverits slipstream to said air rudder, and means for controlling the Waterrudder.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

GEORGE B. POST.

